Multiple Personality Disorder/Dissociative Indentity Disorder

Registered Member

Having been on many forums and discussion sites over the years, it seems like most people who encounter those who claim to have MPD/DID are faking the disorder, and I've known people that are faking it, and that aren't faking it.

However, since I'm wanting to go into Psychology in college, I've lately been researching MPD/DID and have found some very interesting articles about it, most of them with very odd, somewhat unbelievable statistics. One article I've read stated that 97% percent of MPD cases has soley stemmed from sexual assault as a child, while another said that 90% of women who claim to have MPD/DID make up the claims.

Trying to research the topic, with all articles usually stating different statistics and whatnot, it's hard to decide what statistics to believe or not. One statistic has said that only 20% of the recorded cases of MPD/DID have been male.

What I'm basically getting at is, does anyone have any reliable articles or sources they can link me to for research on MPD/DID?

Another thing that bothers me is how so many people I've encountered brush off MPD as something fake and made up. Do people do this with other mental disorders, and why does it seem so common to be considered making it up or fake while saying you have a mental disorder in real life or online?

Do you think MPD/DID is real, or simply fake? How would you react if someone admitted to having the disorder?

still nobody's bitch

The DSM-IV is probably the best authority on prevalence rates. If you're going to study psychology, you should probably get your hands on a copy of it anyway (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychological Disorders, published by the APA).

I don't have mine with me, otherwise I'd look it up right now.

I think DID is real, but there are certainly people who successfully fake it.

Wanna play?

Having been on many forums and discussion sites over the years, it seems like most people who encounter those who claim to have MPD/DID are faking the disorder, and I've known people that are faking it, and that aren't faking it.

However, since I'm wanting to go into Psychology in college, I've lately been researching MPD/DID and have found some very interesting articles about it, most of them with very odd, somewhat unbelievable statistics. One article I've read stated that 97% percent of MPD cases has soley stemmed from sexual assault as a child, while another said that 90% of women who claim to have MPD/DID make up the claims.

Trying to research the topic, with all articles usually stating different statistics and whatnot, it's hard to decide what statistics to believe or not. One statistic has said that only 20% of the recorded cases of MPD/DID have been male.

What I'm basically getting at is, does anyone have any reliable articles or sources they can link me to for research on MPD/DID?

Another thing that bothers me is how so many people I've encountered brush off MPD as something fake and made up. Do people do this with other mental disorders, and why does it seem so common to be considered making it up or fake while saying you have a mental disorder in real life or online?

Do you think MPD/DID is real, or simply fake? How would you react if someone admitted to having the disorder?

I just posted to another thread you started which stated that you planned on doing web/graphic design, but here you say you plan on studying psychology; are you still deciding on a future path, plan on doing both, or what?
MPD/DID is still quite rare as far as pychological disorders. The fact that you say you've encountered both those with and without the disorder surprises me. The chances of an individual without specific training in mental health meeting someone and being able to identify DID in the individual is close to impossible. I'm not saying it's not true, I'm just saying "wow" where have you been hanging out?
This particular disorder wasn't even taken seriously until the mid 1900's which means that it is still relatively new to the world of pyschology. I think Truddi Chase, is a chilling example of DID. Her autobigraphical "When Rabbit Howls" is a detailed account of abuse leading up to her psyche split. If this is something you're truly interested in exploring, I would recommend reading her book.

Registered Member

I just posted to another thread you started which stated that you planned on doing web/graphic design, but here you say you plan on studying psychology; are you still deciding on a future path, plan on doing both, or what?

MPD/DID is still quite rare as far as pychological disorders. The fact that you say you've encountered both those with and without the disorder surprises me. The chances of an individual without specific training in mental health meeting someone and being able to identify DID in the individual is close to impossible. I'm not saying it's not true, I'm just saying "wow" where have you been hanging out?

One of my best friends were diagnosed with MPD/DID when she was younger. We live in a very small town - She had to travel a bit to to even get to the psychologist. - so everybody knew about it, though not many people knew much about the disorder itself

I think Truddi Chase, is a chilling example of DID. Her autobiographical "When Rabbit Howls" is a detailed account of abuse leading up to her psyche split. If this is something you're truly interested in exploring, I would recommend reading her book.

Elite Intellectual

WHEN RABBIT HOWLS is a really good book, but be aware that the abuse was horrific, I regretted reading the book for a time afterwards, but you're probably tougher than I am.

THE MINDS OF BILLY MILLIGAN is another book that you would find interesting.

I've only known one person suffering from this condition and I met her after she had been re-integrated through therapy. She was still two people, down from several, and she was very lonely without the others. They all lived in a house on a hill insider her head--not in the rooms of the house but only in the hallways--and it was very lonely there for the two of them.